If you think you know every use for baking soda, think again. For just a couple of dollars, this environmentally safe compound can do everything from whitening your teeth to cleaning carpets. Read on for lots of remedies, which come out of one little box…

You enjoy a great meal at a friend’s house, but get a rip-roaring case of heartburn afterward. You scour your purse for an antacid, but come up empty. What do they always ask for in old movies? Bicarbonate of soda – commonly known as bicarb or baking soda.

A tablespoon’s worth in a glass of water – watch it fizz – and the acid disappears. What would we do without this safe, effective solution?

There are many more uses for this indispensible product. Here are 22 of them:

Household uses for baking soda

1. Deodorize – Neutralizing odors is baking soda’s claim to fame. Baking soda, however, is only as effective as you are diligent in using it correctly. That box of baking soda in your refrigerator will absorb odors for awhile, but the humidity will form a crust on the top layer. Stir up the contents of the box every two weeks and replace it after two months. Sprinkle fresh baking soda in trash cans or diaper pails every time you change the liner, in smelly sneakers, litter boxes, musty areas and any other odorous places.

2. Clean drains – When you replace boxes of baking soda used for refrigerators, throw them down the drain or pour them into your toilet tanks to sit overnight before flushing.

3. Freshen carpets – Use as you would a store-bought brand and sprinkle it on the carpet, wait for about thirty minutes, and then vacuum.

4. Salvage books from mildew – Humidity is the enemy of any paper product, but once the damage is done, you can eliminate the moldy odor by sealing the book in a container with some baking soda for a few weeks.

Cleaning with baking soda

5. Eliminate stains – Baking soda is a gentle cleanser for stubborn stains in coffee mugs, tea cups and plastic iced-tea jugs. It’s also safer to use than bleach. Make a paste and scrub stains away.

6. Lift grease – Douse baking soda on a barbecue grill and let it sit overnight, before scrubbing with a wire brush and warm water. You can also use it for grease spills on the garage floor.

7. Shine marble countertops – These countertops are easily damaged from ordinary household products like lemon juice, but baking soda is a safe and recommended cleanser. It also reaches those tiny crevices that occur naturally in marble. Use a toothbrush sprinkled with baking soda to scrub the cracks, and wipe the counter with a baking-soda-and-warm-water solution. Rinse thoroughly.

8. Clean silver – To remove tarnish from silver, line a glass casserole or stainless steel pot with aluminum foil. Place the silver on the foil so that each piece has contact, and then sprinkle it with 2 to 3 tablespoons each of baking soda and salt. Pour boiling water over it just to cover, and then let it soak. Rinse, and wipe the pieces dry. Do not use baking soda as a paste to rub on silver.9. Clean cutting boards – Don’t like to use bleach on cutting boards? Use a paste of baking soda, salt and water. Rinse with hot water.

10. Cleanse your microwave – An easy, safe way to clean stubborn splatters is to put 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a glass of water, then heat for 3 minutes. Wipe the appliance clean.

Plain baking soda sprinkled on a toothbrush and dampened with water works equally well, though the taste is less pleasant. It’s a good alternative for those who are concerned about consuming too much fluoride.

13. Facial scrub – Mix a solution of three parts baking soda to one part water to exfoliate your skin. This home remedy works well to soften skin, but it can be slightly drying if used too often, so modify it to your skin’s needs. Mix baking soda and oatmeal in a blender; the oatmeal seems to offset baking soda’s burning sensation. If you have sensitive skin, try mixing baking soda with Cetaphil for a daily exfoliating scrub.

15. Produce – Dissolve several tablespoons of baking soda in a tub of cold water to wash your produce. The baking soda is safer than soap, and will neutralize some of the impurities in the water as well.

16. Meat tenderizer – Rub baking soda on the meat for two to three hours before you need it. Rinse the meat thoroughly before cooking.

17. Counteract acid – Oops! Added too much vinegar to a recipe? Add a pinch of baking soda. Be careful – a little bit goes a long way. Add a pinch to tomato dishes to balance the acid. Your acid reflux-prone family members will thank you, but forego this baking soda use if anyone in your family needs to reduce their salt intake.

18. No more gas – Add a pinch to bean recipes when you soak them to reduce those unpleasant aftereffects. Rinse the beans before cooking.

Slightly offbeat uses for baking soda

19. Swimming pools – Replace expensive pool chemicals with baking soda to maintain the water alkalinity. The folks at Arm & Hammer say to use 1-1/2 pounds for every 10,000 gallons of water.
20. Kill cockroaches – Mix an equal solution of baking soda and sugar; pour the concoction into milk-jug lids and place in dark corners.

Roaches love it, but it’s a deadly mix. Although baking soda is considered a safe, non-toxic substance, too much can make your babies and pets sick. Keep these roach traps away from your little ones.

21. Campers’ friend – Take a large box of baking soda on your next camping trip to cut down on packing space. Use it to wash dishes, scrub pots, put out fires, wash hands, brush teeth and heal those insect bites.

Arm yourself with a few boxes of baking soda and try out at least a few of these ideas. This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to uses for baking soda. Baking soda is not a cure-all, however, and ingesting too much can be dangerous. If used correctly, it is a safe, economical choice that could make a significant difference in decreasing the levels of the world’s pollution. It’s easy on your pocketbook too.

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